Defense Industry Daily Logo

This article is included in these additional categories:

Daily Rapid Fire

Lockheed To Build New Trident Version | Bulgaria Received First F-16s | Taiwanese Army Started Training On Abrams

Americas

Lockheed Martin won a $25 million modification to keep working on the AEGIS system for ships. This work includes keeping the system running well, making sure all parts work together, writing instructions and helping people use it. The Navy office in Washington, D.C. that handles ship-related contracts gave them this extra work on January 30, 2025.

Lockheed Martin got $383 million to make a new version of the Trident II D5 for the US Navy. This new missile, called D5LE2, is supposed to work until 2084. It will be used on new submarines called Columbia-class, which will replace older Ohio-class submarines. Jerry Mamrol, Lockheed Martin VP, said this upgraded missile will help both the US and UK keep their ability to defend themselves from threats using submarines. The D5LE2 is an improvement on the current Trident II D5 missile, which is already used by both US and UK navies on their submarines.
Middle East & Africa

The Washington Post has published an investigation revealing that Google has been providing artificial intelligence (AI) tools to Israel’s military. The report highlights the ongoing support from Google’s technology divisions to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel’s Defense Ministry. Records from 2024 indicate that Google employees observed an increase in access requests from the IDF for AI technologies, particularly the Gemini AI platform. While the investigation confirms the technological support, it remains unclear how these AI tools are specifically being utilized in military operations. The lack of transparency has raised questions about the extent and nature of Google’s involvement in supporting Israel’s military capabilities.The support appears to have intensified following the conflict in Gaza that began in October 2023, with Google employees in the cloud division facilitating increased access to advanced AI services. The Israeli military has been particularly interested in technologies like Vertex AI, which can apply AI algorithms to their own data.

Europe
Bulgaria has officially received its first F-16 Block 70 fighter jet from Lockheed Martin during a ceremony in Greenville, South Carolina on February 1, 2025. The aircraft is a two-seat F-16D Block 70 with tail number 301 and features Bulgarian Air Force roundels in a light grey paint scheme. The new jets represent a significant upgrade for Bulgaria’s air force. The country initially ordered eight F-16 Vipers in 2019 for $1.7 billion, which included training for 14 pilots. In 2022, Bulgaria placed a follow-up order for an additional eight aircraft and training for 18 more pilots, bringing the total procurement to 16 fighter jets.
Asia-Pacific

The Taiwanese Army has begun training on the first batch of M1A2T Abrams main battle tanks, which arrived in Taiwan in December 2024. The training program commenced in early February 2025, following the Lunar New Year holiday. The initial phase of training involves classroom sessions led by Taiwanese military instructors who received training in the United States and returned to Taiwan in November 2024. These sessions aim to familiarize soldiers with the operation of the advanced armored vehicles.S oldiers with experience operating older US-made tanks are undergoing retraining to adapt to the unique features of the Abrams tanks.

Today’s Video